Disclaimer: Don't own KH, or KH 2, never will at that rate.

Warnings: Like always, it's slash, Riku/Sora pairing. Mentions minors having sex, but nothing graphic. This probably contradicts something in CoM, so it's a minor AU.

Hope you enjoy. :)

Sacrifices

He missed him.

As he stood there, staring up into that peaceful face, that hovering body, he knew that one sentience to be true. He missed him, desperately, deeply.

He knew he wasn't alone in that wanting for him to wake, but all others missed something that they didn't remember. He remembered him. He alone, remembered his name, and could say it. He alone could look upon him, and understand everything he saw. The faint scars here or there, the slow change. He could see these, and he alone understood.

He had Ansem to thank for that one thing, even if the heartless trapped within his soul caused him nothing but pain elsewise. Ansem preserved his memories, had kept a copy of them, stolen from him. That copy, was the only reason he remembered, and the only reason he could say his name, and know all that it meant.

Because Sora had not touched Ansem, or should he call it Xehanort's heartless, too much effort there, he knew him as Ansem, even if he now knew the true owner of that name. But it was true, Ansem hadn't been touched by Sora's light, Ansem had no need to love the boy, he doubted Ansem knew what love was. He only knew power, greed, and lust. Lust had been partially why his sweet, loving memories of Sora had been copied, Ansem was fond of those memories in the darkness where Riku kept him, they seemed to give the heartless far too much sick pleasure, twisting the true memories to mean little more then sex.

But Riku held on to what was behind those memories. The sight of those blue eyes, hazy in the aftermath, bright and loving. Those kissed bruised lips smiling gently at him. The small whimpers the other made when he touched a particularly sensitive spot.

He had loved Sora, he still loved Sora, he would always love Sora. He remembered that, because of the demon in his soul.

Reaching up, hand tracing over the surface of that chamber, he wanted to touch him, to hold him. To see those clear eyes, to taste those lips, to hear him laugh and call his name. He wanted more then this.

But the only chance he had of getting him back, he had lost. Because Sora's mirror image was stronger then himself. Just like Sora had been. At least, in this form...

His hand clenched, and he pulled away. The thought was there again, poisonous and deadly, but right. As himself, he had no hope of defeating Sora, or Sora's mirror. Because Roxas and Sora were two halves of the same being. And he needed to get Roxas back to Sora, to bring his Sora, his love back to him.

Only like that... Only by giving into what he had fought against for so long...

The heartless within shifted, moved, hungrily reaching for his heart, as always. He had felt his thoughts...

He had fought to stay free of the darkness, he had conquered Ansem, beaten him back into himself. All for Sora. Everything, everything had been for Sora. Falling to darkness, to defeating darkness, all for his love.

Would he fall again for him?

It wasn't a question. He would do anything, to bring Sora back. Even if he lost him forever for this, for he didn't know if he could come back to himself again. Sora would at least be free, from this unnatural sleep. Free to finish his destiny, and go home. Grow up and live, maybe love another.

That hurt, burned, and his heart clenched. He didn't want that, but he did. Sora deserved it, no matter what selfish desires Riku had. Sora deserved so much, and Riku would give it all to give it to him. His own body, soul, and heart, were worthless without Sora.

But to lose his love?

Despair. That darkness within seized upon it, shrouding his heart. If he lost Sora's love, what would be left of himself?

But then, what would be left after the darkness within took over? Little to nothing, even if he controlled it. He had to control it, no question on that either. Otherwise, everything Sora had fought for, up to the point of this, would be lost. He couldn't allow that. He couldn't allow Sora's sacrifice to be in vain, nor his own.

"Would you understand?" he mused out loud, to the silent figure, "I know you wouldn't like it. You would protest and say there had to be another way. That I could convince Roxas to come with me somehow. But on the other hand, you would be horrified at what we intend to do with him. You would never have wanted someone else sacrificed for you, even a Nobody."

He looked away, to the floor, not wanting to look up to that peaceful, innocent face, "But I have no choice. We have no choice. We need you back. I need you back. I can't leave you like this, and I won't. Even if I lose you, at least you'll be free. I would sacrifice everything to ensure that, be it myself, Roxas, and all, I would do it without a second thought. Selfish, I know..." he looked to his hands, "But it's all I can do. You don't deserve this. And the worlds need your light, they need you. Almost as much as I do..."

He turned away, "I won't be here when you wake up. But I will make sure you do."

It was all he could give, to one who had given all.